Automatic apparatus for sterilizing, disinfecting, or odorizing vehicles.



PATBAITED MAY14. 1907. H. s. BLAGKMORE. I AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FORSTERILIZING, DISINFEGIING, 0R ODORIZING "VBHIGLES..

APPLIUATION rmm In. as. 1905.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- @Mmmu '2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"PATENTED MAY 14. 1907 iiiiiiiiii wanllmm I H. s. BLAOKMORE. AUTOMATICAPPARATUS FOR STERILIZING, DISINFEGTING, 0R onomzme,

' VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 1MB. 25, 1905.

SW A 3 v m N UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HENRY sPE crin BLAGKMORE, or MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOAMERICAN AUTOMATIC DISINFECTANT COMPANY, or WASHINGTON,

DISTRICT CF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMATIC AFPARATUS FOR STERILIZING, DISINFECT ING', 0R ODORIZINGVEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14,1907.

Application filed March 26 1905. Serial l fe. 252,047.

T011, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SPnNonR BLAoKMo E, a citizen of the UnitedStates,

residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of. Westchester and State of NewYork, have tering said cars or vehicles, through the me the air iscaused to.

dium of a device whereb enter the car or vehicle t ough the purifying a'paratus by the movement of the vehicle to w 'ch the apparatus isattached, the said apparatus being provided with a means Wherey th'entring air is automatically'caused to pass thro sociated with disinfectantor odorizin -sub stances and purified from dust and de eter1- ouscontaminations, whereby the air in cars and vehicles is caused tocirculate and is kept in a pure and healthful condition automaticallywith the movement of the vehicle.

My new'.and im roved apparatus consists of new and nove features, ashereinafter more clearly set forth refe'rence being had to theaccompanying drawings, in whi ch Figure 1, is a vertical transversesection of -my apparatus for automatically purifying and disinfecting orodorizing the air or atmosphere of cars. Fig. 2, is a longitudinaltransverse section of one of a pair of funnel' shaped air-receiversprovided with a conical screen and means for holding-same in yieldingand extended position. Fig. 3, represents asection of a car; with aportion of the roof and platform-nood broken away to show the apparatus,as when located outside of the car, and its discharge pipe extendingtherein. Fig. 4, is a vertical transverse section of a car with the aparatus located therein.

On the rawing, the letter A designates the disinfecting or urifyingchamber, preferably of cylindrical orm, ,and provided interiorly with aseries of shelves or trays I), each pro- 11 the same and is charged oras' v vided with a central opening c surrounded by a wall (Z, theopenings and their walls increaS- mg in diameter from the bottom trayup. A gauze e is secured by 'a metal band or ringlf over the top of eachwalled. opening, 't e auze ofthe lower tra being of anycapillaryabric'material and '0 such size that its edge shall spread over a goodportion of the bottom of its tray.

An opening g is made -in one sidevof the casing A forthe inflow of aliqui'd'disinfectant or odorizing substance from a on h, located at theoutside of said opening, t e said "cup being fed from a liquidreceptacle h" which is-su ported by the said cup and a 'metal bandconnected with the upper part inFigs.1, 3,and 4 q of the casing A, asshown of the drawings.

The disinfecting or purifying chamber A is provided with an imperforatecover 71/, the air passing into the upper part of the said chamberAthrough a pipe the upwardlyextended end of which 18 surmounted by ahorizontal section 'L, the'opposite ends of which are provided withfunnel sections, or

wind-receivers i, i the flared endsor mouth 1 of each being adapted toengage the base s of .a spiral or conically wound wire spring over whichis fitted a gauze covering 1-. conical ring p is connected by lugs pwith the mouth of each wind-receiver 'i/ '21, as shown in Fig. 2, tostiffen the receivers as well as toinsure a draft around the rear of thegauze covering, and thereby free same of dust or other substance whichmight otherwise ace cumulate thereon. The horizontal section ":1,between the wind-receivers, is rovided with an internal guide k, inwhich is iitted a sliding rod 70, having circular plates Z, Z, securedto the opposite ends thereof, to close the base of the funnels whenbrought in contact there'- with.

' The lower part of the casing A is provided with an outlet-pipe m,having a rectangular valve '0 and a funnel-shaped discharge end, asshown at t, Fig.3.

The cover h, of the purifying and saturating compartment A, is adaptedto be secured in position by means of screw-bolts and nuts w, so thataccess may be had to the interior of the said compartment. Thus the the,1 means and perfummg agent to the air passing I let.

various gauzes may be removed successively,

and. replaced, and the apparatuscleaned and recharged whenever same maybe deemed necessary.

It will be further noted that the aLir-purifying and disinfectingcompartment is provided with aseries of shelves surrounding the gauzediaphragms, so that the first compartment is adapted to separate'thedust from the entering air, which, by reason of the cir culating airabove it, causes the dust to accumulate upon the shelf first next to thein- The second or central shelf, about the secondgauze diaphragm, isadapted to be filled with a substance, such as sodium eroxid', which iscapable of absorbing car on dioxid or sulfurous gases, or other similarimpurities, from the entering air, with the generation of a corresponing amount of pure oxygen'dislodged from the sodium perthrough. Thegauze communicating with this channel, or compartment, is preferably offibrous nature, such as asbestos, or some textile material, so that bycapillarity, the disinfecting and odorizing fluid 1s carried up fromthechannel about the diaphragm and this saturates the textile gauzethrough which the purified air passes, and whereby, in passing throughthe said gauze, the air becomes saturated 'with odorizin 1 odorizingfluid in the channel about this texand: disinfecting contents of thefluid. "T e disinfecting'and tile gauze diaphragm is kept automaticallyfilled to a uniform level by means ofthefeed device ,h communicatingwith the cup ,7 on

the exterior of the apparatus, as hereinbefore degiribeg. h f

[18301; e important an 7 g the ,entering cones, through which the airpasses from a direction opposite to that of mgving vehicle, are providedwith a,

orseparating dust, cinders,- and other impurities, suchas gauze 1',which gauze is' automatically clearedfof adhering dust, cinders,.orrother substanceawhich might hat-'- urally accumulate thereon, by ameans comisforcedd invention,

. 'therewith-in'such} a manner-that the gauze 1s maintainedina vibratorycondi tion duringits operation, which means, as specificallyillustrated, constitutes a spiral spring placed inside of the filteringgauze. Another important and distinguishing feature of my invention isthe" fact that it is actuated by the movement of the device into a bodyof air or atmosphere, which movement of the device is essential to itsoperativeness, and an important feature in combination with the airpurifying, disinfecting,

and odorizing apparatus through which the air passes to the interior ofthe vehicle to which attached, for the purpose of supplying to theinterior of the vehicle, a purified, disinfected, and healthfulatmosphere, the device being operated by forcing it into a body of airby the action of the moving vehicle with which it is incombination, sothata current of air is introduced into the vehicle through theapparatus in a direction opposite to that in which the vehicle istraveling, the device naturally creating a current of air by beingforced into or againstthe resistance of the atmosphere at a speedgreater than that at which the atmosphere, exterior to or surroundingthe vehicle, is traveling.

It can thus be seen that the combination of the device,as hereinbeforeset forth, with a moving vehicle, produces a new and useful result, theutility of the device being gaged' or governed by the speed with which.the vehicle travels, while the purified and disinfected air entering thevehicle throu h the device, will be regulated and contro ed at will by ameans so located as to obstruct orv release the current of airagainstthe pressure created by the moving vehicle, such as valve 1).

It can be readily seen that a device of the 'with which the smallerapparatus is combined, would be comparatively useless, were it not forthe'fact that its'operation is actu-' ated by the resistance created bythe moving vehicle against the body'of air into which it such movement.A greater result is there ore obtained from a smaller ve 'cle inaccordance with my device when 0 erated in combination with v the movingfeatures of my invention lies in the act that:

Byl employing an a paratus ofthis char acterit can be seen t at fouriniportantresuits are obtained: First, the separation of dust andsuspended impurities from the air pu ties; andfourth, te chaof the andrevitalized air with su stances air through the apparatus controlled bythe valve 0, and entering into the same through the inlet ductscontrolled by automatic means for directing the air therein from abodyof air forced into the apparatus by the funnel-shaped exterior devicebeing forced into the atmosphere by the moving'vehicle, all of whichresults can be clearly ap- Patent is:

preciated.

The term vehicle, as employed in this specification and claims, isintended to imply a moving or movable structure, such as cars,

wagons, sleds, boats, or other devices employed as means oftransportation, in contra distinction to the term as employedin-chemistry or physics implying a solvent or suspending or carryingmedlum of fluid nature.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters 1. An apparatus for su plying disinfected and purifiedair. to vehic es, comprising the combination with a vehicle of an airpurifying, disinfecting, oi odorizing device, provided with a ductthrough which'air is introduced, an air intake, vibrating means fordiverting solids in the air from the ath of the air intake, andmeansactuated y the motion of the vehicle for discharging the purified airinto the said vehicle.

2. An apparatus for S11 plying disinfected and purifie air to vehic es,comprising the combination with a vehicle of an air purifying,disinfecting, or odorizin device, provided with a duct through whlch airis introduced, an air intake, means for imparting a motion to solids inthe air in an angular d1- rectio'n to and out of the path of the airintake, and means actuated by the motion of the vehicle for dischargingthe purified air into the said vehicle.

4 actuated b .vided with a duct through 3. An apparatus for su plyingdisinfected and purified air to vehic es, comprising the combinationwith a vehicle of an air purifying, disinfecting, or odorizinglpdevice,pro

w 'ch air is introduced, an air intake, an air filter, means the motionof the vehicle for removing s'ohd matter separated thereby therefrom,and means actuated by the motion of the vehicle for discharging thepurifiedair into the said vehicle.

4.. An apparatus for su plying disinfected and purified air tovehic es,comprising the combination with a vehicle of an air purify- I device,provided with a duct through w iich air is introduced, an air intake, amovable air filter, means for moving the filter when subjected to airpressure, and means actuated by the qualities,

introduced, a funnel-shaped inlet introduced, a funnel-shaped inletmotion of the vehicle for discharging the purified air into the saidvehicle. A

5. An ap aratus for supplying disinfected and purified air to vehic es,comprising the combination with a vehicle of an air purifying,disinfecting, or odorizing device, provi ed with a duct-through whichair'is introduced, an automatica ly operated valve actuated by airpressure due to motion communicating with said duct, an air intake, a

movable air filter communicating with said intake, meansjor moving saidfilter, and 'means actuated by the motion of said vehicle fordischargingthe purified air into the vehicle.

6. In an apparatus for disinfecting air supplied to vehicles, thecombination with an air-p 'ng and disinfecting or odorizing receptacleand a duct throu h which the air is introduced, of a funnel-s fiapedinlet provided with an automatically operated valve actuated by the airpressure due to motion, the said funnel-sha ed inlet being provided witha flexible air ter and with a means for imparting a vibratory motion tothe filter when subjected to air ressure.

7. In an apparatus or disinfecting air supplied to vehicles, thecombination-With an air-purifying and disinfectifig. or odorizingreceptacle and a duct throu h which the air is introduced, of a funnel-saped inlet m air-purifying and disinfecting or odorizing' receptacle, ofa duct through which the air is rovided with an automatically operatedva ve actuated by the air pressure due to motion, the said funnel-shapedinlet being provided with a conical flexible air filter and with meansfor imparting vibratory motion to the filter when forced into a body ofair, and means for diverting and removin dust or other accumulationsfrom the air-filtering medium.

9. In an apparatus for disinfecting air supplied to vehicles, thecombination with an air-purifying and disinfecting or odorizi'ng'receptacle, of a duct through which the air is I with anautomatically-operating va ve act-uated by the air pressure due tomotion, the said funnel-sha ed inletbeing provided with a conical flexibe air filter and at its interior surface with a conical spiral s rin forimarting a vibratory'motion to tii orced into a body ofair.

10. The, comblnation with a device for rovided e fil t'er when purifyingair sup lied 'to irehic1es having a means actuated v the motion of thevehicle for pufifying and discharging purified air into said vehicle, ofa meensfor supplying oxygen to said'air intransit,

11. The combination with a device for purifying air sugph'ed to'vehicleshaving a means actuated y the motion-of the vehicle for dischargingpurified air into said vehicle,

ofaimeans for automatically supplying oxygen to said air.

In'testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

mam SPENCER BLACKMOHE. Witnesses H. N. JENKINS, -:C. C. WRIGHT.

